What Size Pump for 1/2" x 50 ft Immersion Chiller?

**Grizzlybrew** · 01-21-2012, 04:29 PM

I am using the Morebeer WC30 1/2" x 50 ft Immersion Chiller. I want to use a recirculating pond pump and just purchased the following:

Total Pond 285-525 GPH Fountain Pump (MD11500X) from The Home Depot

The pump can accomodate a 3/8", 1/2" or 3/4" hose and has the following output:

585 gph @ 0 ft
500 gph @ 1 ft
191 gph @ 6 ft
0 gph @ 8.7 ft

There's a lot of discussion about pumps with chillers, but not much dealing with this size chiller. Is this pump sufficient to push chill water through the WC30 IC at an adeqaute cooling rate? My LHBS owner uses a 1400 gph pump! It seems you would have to put a valve on the output side to reduce flow a little, but he did not mention that.

The top of my chiller will be approximately 4' off the ground. If I had to I could place the cooler with the pump in it even with the kettle. I thought I may run a 3/4" hose to the chiller and let it neck-down naturally into the 1/2" copper.

Thanks for the help. Extra thanks if you have personal experience or are familiar with fluid dynamics/hydraulics/etc.

**weirdboy** · 01-21-2012, 04:36 PM

Seems like that should work OK. I had one much lower rated, like maybe 200 GPH max, that I used in a 25' chiller that had about a 2 foot head height. That is really the key factor. What will be the height between the pump and the top of the chiller?

I assume you are using this to pump ice water?

**Grizzlybrew** · 01-21-2012, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weirdboy

Seems like that should work OK. I had one much lower rated, like maybe 200 GPH max, that I used in a 25' chiller that had about a 2 foot head height. That is really the key factor. What will be the height between the pump and the top of the chiller?

I assume you are using this to pump ice water?

Yes, it's pumping recirculating ice water from/to a cooler. As in the OP, the height could be anywhere from 4' to 0'. I prefer the 4' height but could arrange either setup.

**Grizzlybrew** · 01-22-2012, 12:38 PM

anymore feedback?...

mdboulier · 02-05-2012, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weirdboy

Seems like that should work OK. I had one much lower rated, like maybe 200 GPH max, that I used in a 25' chiller that had about a 2 foot head height. That is really the key factor. What will be the height between the pump and the top of the chiller?

I assume you are using this to pump ice water?

Once the flow has traveled through the entire chiller, the key is not the difference in height between pump and chiller, rather the difference between flow beginning (pump inlet) and flow exit (chiller outlet). Changes in elevation between those points (ie having the chiller above the pump) will only affect starting the flow. During steady operation, you are siphoning within the chiller.

You can gain a few feet of head if you can have the flow start from a high elevation and drain to a lower one. It ain't pretty but that's how I squeeze some extra effort out of a small pump and narrow diameter tubing.

**runningweird** · 02-05-2012, 02:51 AM

after the liquid has completed the loop suction will take over and it will matter less about head height.

I use a pond pump from lowes - it cost 29 dollars - to pump sub freezing salt water up 7 feet and back down - great flow rate.

**Grizzlybrew** · 02-05-2012, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdboulier

Changes in elevation between those points (ie having the chiller above the pump) will only affect starting the flow. During steady operation, you are siphoning within the chiller.

Quote:

Originally Posted by runningweird

after the liquid has completed the loop suction will take over and it will matter less about head height.

I use a pond pump from lowes - it cost 29 dollars - to pump sub freezing salt water up 7 feet and back down - great flow rate.

Good point I had not thought about. BTW, the pump worked great. In fact, almost too well. I tried to reduce the flow to grab more heat and didn't see much response. I'll play around with it more later. I did a quick experiment yesterday and had a pretty good overall chilling experience. I did run out of ice at the end and had to estimate the true, final chilling period of the wort.